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Author: Jackie Spiegel

  • Flyers takeaways: The good, the bad, and the ugly from a 4-1 loss to the Kraken

    Flyers takeaways: The good, the bad, and the ugly from a 4-1 loss to the Kraken

    SEATTLE ― The Flyers have played five times at Climate Pledge Arena and have skated away with one win.

    And it wasn’t on Sunday. They lost, 4-1, to the Seattle Kraken to kick-start the team’s annual Disney On Ice road trip.

    The only time the Flyers did win — a 3-2 overtime victory — was on Dec. 29, 2021. It was the Kraken’s first NHL season.

    Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from Sunday’s loss.

    Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn passes the puck against the Flyers’ Carl Grundstrom on Sunday in Seattle.

    The good: The fourth line

    Coach Rick Tocchet likes rolling four lines consistently, and why not when you have a fourth line of Nikita Grebenkin, Carl Grundström, and Rodrigo Ābols that is showing speed, strength, defensive acumen, and a scoring touch?

    “Well, some speed and possession,” Tocchet said during his pregame availability about the fourth line. “They’re holding on to pucks, and they’re making plays, you know? And I think that’s important. You wear other teams down.

    “I haven’t been afraid to use them in D-zone faceoffs. They’re getting their minutes, but they’re earning it too, right? If we have a little bit of a lull in our game — and I’ve started them, actually, in some games too — I see some excitement. I see excitement from the other guys when they see the fourth line doing well. It’s really infectious.”

    The line has been together for three games and almost 27 minutes at five-on-five, but while opponents have a 28-24 majority in chances, the Flyers trio is outscoring them, 3-0.

    Flyers avoid getting shut out in 4-1 loss to Kraken after three-day holiday break

    On Sunday, Grundström broke through on Kraken netminder Philipp Grubauer late in the game to get the Flyers on the board. He sent a blistering wrister from just inside the left faceoff circle to extend his goal-scoring streak to three games.

    Although the fourth line was on the ice for an empty-netter against, it controlled play for the most part, had nine shot attempts to 10 against, three scoring chances vs. two for the Kraken, and did not allow a high-danger chance.

    The trio also drew a power play after it sustained a strong forecheck and pressured the Kraken in the first period.

    Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak save a shot by the Flyers’ Bobby Brink.

    The bad: The power play

    There’s a reason the power play isn’t listed as ugly because, despite not scoring, it really wasn’t that dreadful. The two five-man units actually moved the puck well, especially Trevor Zegras, Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Jamie Drysdale, and Travis Konecny.

    But when you have three power-play opportunities against the league’s worst penalty kill (70.3% entering the game), you need to score.

    “When we have shots from the point, or we go downhill in the shots, everybody’s on the perimeter,” Tocchet said. “Too perimeter tonight, that was the bottom line. That’s the only criticism for the team.

    “… For most of the night, I thought we controlled a fair amount of the play, but you get three power plays, you’ve got to find a way, and you’ve got to find a way to score. That’s net-front goals, rebound goals. I don’t think we grabbed the rebound. So another learning thing that we’ve got to make sure.”

    Owen Tippett has been streaky. Rick Tocchet wants to see more consistency from the Flyers winger.

    It’s true. The Flyers’ power play controlled play and had several good looks. Drysdale was stopped twice on point shots before Zegras sent a cross-crease pass to Konecny, who was robbed. Denver Barkey made a play after nice puck movement to set up Owen Tippett, and the youngster had a chance seconds after the final power play ended.

    The Flyers have just 59.2% of offensive zone time on the power play, whereas the best team, the Vegas Golden Knights, has 62.3%. Based on Sunday’s power plays, there is a chance that they have jumped up. Now the Flyers have to score.

    Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer stops a shot by the Flyers’ Bobby Brink during the third period on Sunday in Seattle.

    The ugly: Lack of net presence

    In the last two games before the holiday break, each a win, the Flyers scored a total of eight goals. According to Natural Stat Trick, six of those came right around the net.

    Although the statistical site says that they had 4.17+ attempts around the net, it didn’t feel like they were able to take away the eyes of Grubauer.

    “Yeah, thought we controlled most of the game and just couldn’t find a way to get one,” defenseman Travis Sanheim said. “We weren’t getting enough traffic when a goalie’s seeing it that well, got to get in front of them and deliver pucks, and then we make a couple mistakes, and unfortunate that we can’t come out with a win there.”

    Top prospect Porter Martone ‘can’t wait’ to play for the Flyers. But first, he has a couple of championships to win

    The Kraken goalie made several easy saves with his glove, as he was able to see the puck well. The Flyers had four rebound attempts, with Sean Couturier and Konecny leading the way with three high-danger chances each.

    “Maybe we gave him some easy looks at times,“ Couturier said. ”This may be the only, I think, negative, maybe we can say. But overall, I thought we played a good game, just didn’t capitalize when we had chances, and they did. So it could have went one way or the other, if we score one or two goals there at some point in the game.”

    Added defenseman Nick Seeler: “I think we need a little bit more traffic going to the net, get guys to the net when we’re trying to shoot from the points here, and hopefully get a few more deflection goals and things like that. But I think our forwards did a really good job forechecking tonight and hanging on to pucks, and so that’s a positive.”

  • Flyers avoid getting shut out in 4-1 loss to Kraken after three-day holiday break

    Flyers avoid getting shut out in 4-1 loss to Kraken after three-day holiday break

    SEATTLE ― The Flyers won’t want to throw it away, all right, but there are parts of this game they’ll prefer not to see again.

    In their first game after the NHL’s mandatory three-day holiday break, they fell to the Seattle Kraken, 4-1 on Sunday. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak and is Philly’s third loss in its past five games. They are 5-4-4 in December.

    Carl Grundström scored with less than two minutes left in regulation to help the Flyers avoid getting shut out for the second time this season. He beat Philipp Grubauer short-side to extend his goal-scoring streak to three games.

    Jordan Eberle gave the Kraken a 1-0 lead 3 minutes, 48 seconds into the second period. The Kraken’s captain snuck down the middle and was left untouched as he received a pass from Kaapo Kakko. A former New York Islander, Eberle now has 12 goals and 30 points in 37 regular-season games against the Flyers.

    Owen Tippett has been streaky. Rick Tocchet wants to see more consistency from the Flyers winger.

    Seattle’s Chandler Stephenson made it 2-0 in the third period as he crashed the net. Flyers goalie Dan Vladař played the puck behind the net, and Eeli Tolvanen got it from Travis Sanheim. The Finnish forward sent it to Stephenson in front for the easy tally.

    Entering the night, the Flyers’ power play was ranked 24th in the NHL, and it had chances to tie things up. They were facing the league’s worst penalty kill (70.3%), but despite having three-man advantages, they were unable to get on the board with extended offensive zone time.

    Across the power plays, Philly had nine shot attempts, with six needing Grubauer to make the save.

    Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn is defended by Flyers forward Carl Grundstrom during the first period of Sunday’s game.

    On the first one, drawn by Nikita Grebenkin, Jamie Drysdale had a pair of shots off setups from Trevor Zegras. Seconds after Drysdale’s second shot, Travis Konecny received a cross-crease pass from Zegras and was stoned by a sliding Grubauer. That power play started to even the ice as the Kraken came out with their legs.

    And then Denver Barkey continued to prove he is an NHLer as he used his motor to drive past Ryan Lindgren for a breakaway. The Seattle defenseman wrapped up Barkey, who still got a shot on goal as he drew the holding penalty.

    The best chance on that power play was by Noah Cates from the middle of the ice after good puck movement. And on the final man advantage of the night, thanks to a too many men penalty against the Kraken, the best chance was by Owen Tippett after Barkey made a strong play to get him the puck

    The Flyers put 32 shots on goal, including 14 in the third period. The biggest issue for the Flyers on Sunday was the fact that Grubauer was able to see the puck well. Compared to their past two wins, the Flyers weren’t going to the net often enough and even when they did, the Kraken blocked 17 shots — several from atop the crease.

    Flyers ready to return to full strength as a grueling stretch awaits ahead of the Winter Olympics

    Breakaways

    The Kraken added two empty-netters by Tolvanen. … Zegras had his point streak end at 10 games (five goals, six assists). … Forwards Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers, and defenseman Noah Juulsen were healthy scratches.

    Up next

    The Flyers head a few short hours north to Rick Tocchet and Juulsen’s old stamping ground to take on the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday (10 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Owen Tippett has been streaky. Rick Tocchet wants to see more consistency from the Flyers winger.

    Owen Tippett has been streaky. Rick Tocchet wants to see more consistency from the Flyers winger.

    SEATTLE ― Mike Gartner once said, “Goals for me are a little like bananas; they come in bunches.”

    Considering that the pure goal scorer finished his Hall of Fame career with 708, that’s a lot of potassium.

    It summarizes Owen Tippett’s start to the year. And yes, he has heard the quote.

    “I don’t know if it’s anything in particular or it’s just nice to see one go in and it gives you the confidence going forward,” he said. “But definitely, I definitely feel that way at times.”

    In the first 36 games of the season, the forward has 11 goals and 22 points. Five of those goals came in the first seven games of the season, and two have come in the last three games — which means 26 games in the middle saw him find the back of the net just four times.

    Flyers coach Rick Tocchet recently said Tippett is chasing consistency and wants to see him stack games. But it’s not just goal scoring, it’s about playing well overall. Essentially, he wants to see him lay a strong foundation — brick by brick.

    “Yeah, for me, it’s just the details,” Tocchet said at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday. I think he’s been starting to play real well. [Denver] Barkey has helped him, and [Sean Couturier], and I think the line’s been pretty good for us.

    Flyers right wing Owen Tippett scoring a third-period goal against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko.

    “I think Tipp, there’s the little things for him, he can stay detailed, he looks really good out there, especially off the neutral zone or off the rush — that’s what his talent is. But I still think there’s stuff around the net, in the slot … that he’s getting better at, and we’re going to keep working with him when it comes to those things.”

    It’s been only three games, but the line of Tippett, Barkey, and Couturier has been off to a hot start.

    Among Flyers lines that have played at least 20 minutes together this season, Money Puck has the trio No. 2 in expected goals percentage (73.3%). They are tied for eighth in expected goals (2.2) and have the fourth-best expected goals against (0.8).

    Flyers ready to return to full strength as a grueling stretch awaits ahead of the Winter Olympics

    According to Natural Stat Trick, when they are on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers have 61.29% of the shot attempts, including 10 high-danger chances to just four against. They have outshot opponents across their almost 28 minutes together, 19-8, have had 17 scoring chances to nine against, and have two goals to one allowed.

    Both of the goals were scored by Tippett.

    “We try to talk a lot, as much as possible,” Couturier said. “Me being in the middle, try to control the play as much as I can and let him use his feet wide when he can. And then offensively, I think it’s just about finding the support areas and the open areas to create some chances, some opportunities.

    “Lately, with Denver joining our line, it’s been clicking. He’s a smart little player who makes a lot of good little plays. So, yeah, just trying to build, and I think we have a lot of potential as a line to grow, and it’s fun to be a part of.”

    The trio is having fun, and Tippett has been excelling lately. He scored a highlight-reel goal against the Vancouver Canucks, whom the Flyers play in British Columbia on Tuesday. And while Tippett is dazzling to watch when he can get into open ice, Tocchet says the next step for the 6-foot-1, 210-pound winger is to bury pucks around the net.

    But it all comes down to consistency.

    “I think, obviously, there’s a little bit of a kind of dip there, I think halfway through the first half,” he said. “I guess, but I’m feeling better about it now.”

    “I think just doing everything I can to be ready,” he added when asked what he’s doing to try and be more consistent. “Obviously, body first, and making sure the mindset stays the same each and every game, no matter kind of what happens game to game or even within a game.”

    Considering that Tippett has four goals in nine career games against the Seattle Kraken, whom the Flyers play on Sunday (8 p.m., NBCSP), it’s not a bad place to keep stacking.

    “He’s a hot streak type of guy. He’s got a [heck] of a shot,” Tocchet said. “Sometimes I’d like to see him kind of just hit the net a little bit more, because he’s got a [heck] of a shot. You don’t have to be so fine sometimes.”

    “A lot of goal scorers, they can hit the little orange in the net type of thing. But sometimes you just got to shoot it like it’s a basketball and the goals will go in.”

    Breakaways

    The Flyers will sport the same lineup that they’ve been using for the last few games. It means Barkey and defenseman Travis Sanheim, who each left the last game in Chicago before the holiday break early, are good to go. … Dan Vladař will get the start in goal against the Kraken. The Czech netminder is 7-1-1 with a 2.05 goals-against average and .905 save percentage against the team from the Pacific Northwest.

  • Flyers ready to return to full strength as a grueling stretch awaits ahead of the Winter Olympics

    Flyers ready to return to full strength as a grueling stretch awaits ahead of the Winter Olympics

    SEATTLE ― According to coach Rick Tocchet, the Flyers “dodged a bullet” when it comes to the health of two players.

    Travis Sanheim, the team’s top defenseman, was clipped by Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Alex Vlasic in the third period of the Flyers’ 3-1 win on Dec. 23. He did not play the final 12 minutes, 33 seconds, after being pulled by the NHL’s concussion spotters. At the time, Tocchet said, “I think he’s fine.”

    But there was a little bit more concern for forward Denver Barkey, who did not return for the entire final frame after he was hit hard in the ensuing scrum following his boarding call. Tocchet said after the game that Barkey would be reevaluated by the doctors.

    After a long plane ride Saturday morning from Philly, both players were full participants at Climate Pledge Arena for the team’s practice following the NHL’s mandatory three-day holiday break.

    “They both are good,” Tocchet said. “I think Sanny was fine. It was just the spotter. And then I think, Barkey, he just kind of had a headache, but it’s gone away. So he’s pretty good.”

    Flyers center Denver Barkey is hoping to return from injury after getting hurt in just his third NHL game.

    Barkey, who was injured in just his third NHL game, was back alongside his linemates Owen Tippett and Sean Couturier.

    “Feeling good,” he said afterward. “Obviously, taking it day by day, but feeling really good right now. And, yeah, I was excited to get home to see family and friends as well.”

    A native of Newmarket, Ontario, where he went for two of the three days off, Barkey should be sticking around the Flyers for the foreseeable future. He has brought a spark to not just his linemates but the power play — one assist at five-on-five and one with the man advantage — and the bench.

    “He’s got a lot of hockey sense. Good kid. So I’ve enjoyed seeing him,” said Travis Konecny, who chuckled and said the youngster “is way smarter than I was” when told that Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong called Barkey “a little mini TK” over the summer.

    “I think he’s one of those guys who, once you see him in the NHL, he’s a hard guy to send down. He does a lot of the little things right, and it seems like he’s ready.”

    On-ice comparisons have been made between Denver Barkey and Flyers right wing Travis Konecny.

    Barkey just turned pro this season, but has London of the Ontario Hockey League close to his heart — literally. He sports a silver chain and pendant etched with the Knights logo on one side and 86, his number in juniors, on the other. It was a gift from a jeweler in London, Ontario, after he was named the team’s recipient of the Don Brankley Community Service Award this year. Barkey was also awarded the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the OHL’s Humanitarian of the Year.

    But while he’s just 20 years old and a newbie to the pro ranks, he has “always kind of taken it pretty serious and try to prepare every game quite similarly.”

    “Obviously, it’s a really surreal experience, and there’s a lot going on, a lot of moving parts,” he said of his NHL start. “But I keep saying, I think a lot of the credit goes to coaches and all the guys in this room.

    “They’ve made it easy for me, just make me feel at home and comfortable coming to the rink every day. So, yeah, it’s been fun, and just looking to continue to grow as a person [and] player throughout this experience.”

    We’ll see if he’s still calling it fun when the NHL reaches its mandatory break for the upcoming 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. Beginning with Sunday’s game against the Seattle Kraken (8 p.m., NBCSP), the Flyers will play 20 games in 40 nights.

    Right-wing Nikita Grebenkin, center, and the Flyers will be tested as starting on Sunday, they’ll play 20 games in 40 nights.

    It’ll be a grind that includes 11 games on the road, and three back-to-back sets. The last game before the break is Feb. 5 against the Ottawa Senators, and the Flyers don’t hit the ice again for a game until Feb. 25 at the Washington Capitals — the first of a back-to-back.

    “When it comes to it, you’re playing basically every other night. There’s not a lot of these two- [or] three-day breaks. So, that’s why it’s important that we crammed in the system stuff,” Tocchet said after the lengthy practice.

    “You still have other ways to do it; we might do hotel meetings, things like that, to make sure that we were up to speed. But, you know, everybody’s dealing with it, so there are really no excuses.”

    Flyers prospects at the 2026 World Juniors

    Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and the Canadians opened the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship with two straight victories — each with a tinge of revenge and redemption.

    On Friday night, they beat Czechia 7-5; Canada lost the past two years in the quarterfinals to the European nation. On Saturday, they topped Latvia 2-1 in overtime after the nation, which is Rodrigo Abōls’ home country, beat Canada 3-2 last year.

    Speaking of Abōls, his father Artis Abōls is the head coach of the Latvian side at this year’s tournament.

    Top prospect Porter Martone ‘can’t wait’ to play for the Flyers. But first, he has a couple of championships to win

    Luchanko has yet to register a point and has a plus-minus of minus-3. Martone, the team’s captain, has one goal in two games. He issued an apology on Saturday after tapping a Czech player on his backside while skating to the bench after scoring his empty-netter.

    Flyers rookie Porter Martone (22) has a goal in two matches as the captain of Team Canada.

    “That’s unacceptable, and that can’t happen,” he told reporters in Minnesota. “As the captain of this team, the leader of this team, it just sets a bad [example] for the rest of the guys. That’s on me, and I can’t do that. It’s a learning experience, it’s in the past now, but yeah, I take full responsibility for the actions I took yesterday.”

    Martone was also handed a formal warning by the IIHF for his actions during warmups on Friday night, when he crossed the red line and bumped players.

    A teammate of Martone’s at Michigan State, Vansaghi played in the first game for USA Hockey, a 6-3 win versus Germany, as the extra forward and skated just over 5 minutes. He was a healthy scratch for Saturday. Heikki Ruohonen and Max Westergård each had an assist in Finland’s 6-2 win against Denmark on Friday, and Sweden captain Jack Berglund chipped in an assist in a 3-2 win over Slovakia.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Flyers hockey right here!
  • Top prospect Porter Martone ‘can’t wait’ to play for the Flyers. But first, he has a couple of championships to win

    Top prospect Porter Martone ‘can’t wait’ to play for the Flyers. But first, he has a couple of championships to win

    Porter Martone just wrapped up his first semester at Michigan State as a general studies major. So what was the best course he took? “Personal finance,” the 19-year-old freshman said.

    Well, that’s not a bad one to master, considering that the winger will be raking in the big bucks soon if he maintains his stellar play on the ice.

    Selected sixth overall by the Flyers in the 2025 NHL draft, Martone is now lighting up men’s college hockey. His 11 goals are tied for the second-most by a freshman.

    In 16 games for the third-ranked Spartans (12-4-0), Martone has 20 points and is tied with Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Zam Plante, the son of former Flyers forward Derek Plante, for 17th in the country in points per game (1.25) .

    Flyers winger Porter Martone named Canada’s captain for the upcoming World Juniors

    “I think my season has gone really well. I think it was definitely an adjustment going to college hockey … [and] I feel like I’ve matured a lot as a person,” he told The Inquirer last week via Zoom while attending Hockey Canada’s World Junior camp in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    “You’re living on your own now, you learn how to cook your own meals, you’ve got to manage your classes, practices, like lots of different things, so I think that’s been great.

    “And then I think, overall, just me really getting in the weight room, I think I’ve noticed a big difference on the ice, just be able to sustain energy throughout the whole game and be effective three periods instead of maybe only two last year, and I think just becoming more of a power forward that I need to be.”

    Back to school

    It was quite a shift for Martone to choose college hockey. He notably opened the start of Flyers development camp five days after he was drafted, stating: “I want to give it my all and try to earn my spot in the opening-night roster.” But 21 days later, he announced he was heading to East Lansing, Mich.

    “It was really hard,” he said of the decision, “just because you obviously want to go to NHL training camp and try to maybe make the NHL. And it’s tough because the CHL and Brampton [of the Ontario Hockey League] did so much for me — and I can’t thank them [enough] for my development — but in kind of sitting down with the Flyers and my agents and my parents, I thought this was the kind of the next step in my hockey journey.

    The Flyers believe Porter Martone’s combination of size and skill can make him an elite winger at the next level.

    “I feel like this is going to help me be the best player when I am in my prime, five to 10 years down the road.”

    Flyers fans should like the idea of him thinking ahead. And, yes, while he is focused on helping the Spartans win their first national championship since 2007, he is open to swapping green for orange in April.

    But for now, his feet are firmly planted at Michigan State, toward which fellow 2025 draftee Shane Vansaghi, now a sophomore, did nudge him. Martone also made a couple of visits to the campus and met with coach Adam Nightingale. He liked the culture and thought Will Morlock, the director of athletic performance for hockey, was a “game-changer.”

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr dishes on prospects Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and more

    Michigan State felt like home.

    “[Nightingale] was telling me that nothing is going to be given to you, and I think that’s big in my family, you’ve got to work for things, so I really trusted his process,” Martone said.

    “… And a big thing [Morlock] says, we have all these expensive machines, but it’s kind of the work you put in. So I think just Michigan State is very blue collar and hardworking, and that’s something that me and my family kind of strive to be ever since I was a little kid.”

    Blue collar, hardworking. Martone already sounds like a Philadelphian.

    Aside from his work on the ice, Martone has spent much of his first few months at Michigan State putting in the work in the gym. Facing players older than him — “those guys are so strong, and they’ve got man strength,” he said — he has dropped body fat and, while he’s “not working out to become a bodybuilder,” he has gained around eight pounds of muscle.

    Martone, who is listed as 6-foot-3, 210 pounds by Michigan State, is building his body to sustain a grueling 82-game NHL schedule, and, hopefully, beyond. He feels like he’s becoming a 200-foot player while being reliable all over the ice, but if the Spartans need a goal or a big play offensively, he can do that, too. And he is working on his speed and power.

    “His biggest challenge, and what we’ve talked about, is his pace,” Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said. “He was a really good junior, obviously, but he could slow things down all the time and kind of do what he wanted.

    “In the college game, he’s playing against older kids, bigger, stronger, faster, and the way they practice, the way they play games, it’s all out and all full speed. So I think it’s forcing him to move his feet.

    “Obviously, you can’t teach the brain he has, the skill set he has, and the size and whatnot. I think even he’s the first one to tell you he’s in better shape. He’s playing faster. And I think it’ll really help him adjust to the pro game faster.”

    Flahr called Martone a quick study who “has the ability to process the game at the level that a lot of guys can’t.” This season, Martone has been working on his footwork and speed on and off the ice by doing jumping and sprinting drills. He speaks often with the Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong.

    2026 World Juniors: Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna headline why Flyers fans should watch the tournament

    “I think probably every weekend there’s almost been a Flyers development guy there at one of our games,” he said, name-checking Armstrong, John LeClair, and Chris Stewart as attendees. “… I do video with Riles a lot, almost every week after my weekends, and kind of just fine-tune some things, see some things that they want me to improve. They’ve been really good with me and kind of always very straightforward with what they want to see from me.

    “They’re a very good development staff, trying to add different things to my game, but also let me play it and be the player I am.”

    Porter Martone, right, is expected to be one of Canada’s biggest stars at the upcoming World Juniors.

    Power forward

    Martone is, and is developing into, a power forward on the right wing. Armstrong and Martone chat about building his overall offensive game and being more powerful with his skating. But they also delve into the specifics.

    “It’s a lot of wall play; as a winger in the NHL, that’s huge,” Martone said. “Offensive zone, when you’re creating space for yourself behind the net, picking pucks off the wall, and then overall, just neutral zone, just playing with pace through the middle of the ice. Be a hard player for defenders to stop off the rush as well.”

    That will also come in handy as he dons the maple leaf for the third time in a year beginning on Dec. 26. Hockey Canada’s roster usually skews older, but Martone will be playing at the World Juniors for the second time in his short career. Last year, Canada, which also had Flyers prospects Jett Lucahnko, Oliver Bonk, and Carson Bjarnason on the roster, lost in the quarterfinals in Ottawa.

    “I feel like just on my case, but kind of all of Canada has a bit of unfinished business, and we kind of want to come back and really show what we can do,” said Martone, who will be playing alongside Luchanko and will serve as the team’s captain.

    Flyers first-round picks Jack Nesbitt (left) and Porter Martone battle during a drill on the first day of the team’s development camp on Wednesday.

    He will face Finland’s Max Westergård and Heikki Ruohonen, who will wear an “A,” in Group B action and in the playoffs could see Sweden captain, Jack Berglund, and his friend Vansaghi, who will be suiting up for Team USA.

    But Martone also has represented Canada on the senior men’s world championship stage, skating alongside Tyson Foerster, Travis Sanheim, and Travis Konecny last year.

    “Oh yeah, I was all in,” Konecny said in November when asked if Flyers brass checked in with him about possibly drafting Martone.

    “I said, ‘That’s a guy you can work with. That’s a guy that’s going to compete; that’s a guy that’s willing to learn, become a pro, play the right way.’ You don’t really always get that information before the draft. And then on top of that, I mean, I think he can develop into a really special player.”

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr talks Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Jack Berglund, and the 2026 NHL draft

    While he waits to join them in a locker room, Martone tunes in and watches “almost every game” the Flyers play. He also sees the orange and black jerseys at his games. “I’m excited to wear that jersey myself,” he said.

    So, does it make him hungry to get there?

    “Obviously, when you watch them, you just kind of can’t wait till you’re there, and you want to help them any way you can. And, definitely, watching the games, you dream of that day when you do get to play your first NHL game and join the Philadelphia Flyers. So when that day comes, you know, I’ll be super excited.

    “It is cool to see the support of the fan base. And I know the Flyers fans are very passionate. … I can’t wait to play in front of them.”

    Porter Martone says he “can’t wait” to play for the Flyers whether that is this year or next year.
  • How to watch Porter Martone and the Flyers’ prospects at the 2026 World Juniors

    How to watch Porter Martone and the Flyers’ prospects at the 2026 World Juniors

    The Flyers will be well-represented as the world’s best under-20 hockey players hit the ice in a battle for supremacy and bragging rights at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship

    Six prospects will don their country’s colors with their sights set on a gold medal.

    Which Flyers prospects will be at the 2026 World Juniors?

    Redemption is on the mind for Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko. The forwards were on Canada’s squad last year, which was ousted in the quarterfinals by Czechia. Martone, who was picked sixth overall in the 2025 NHL draft by the Flyers, will be leading the charge after being named captain on Christmas.

    Flyers winger Porter Martone named Canada’s captain for the upcoming World Juniors

    Martone’s teammate at Michigan State, Shane Vansaghi, will be making his World Juniors debut for USA Hockey. The Americans are aiming for the nation’s first-ever three-peat.

    Heikki Ruohonen, selected in the fourth round in 2024, and Max Westergård, a fifth-rounder this summer, will skate for Finland. Ruohonen will don an “A” on his jersey. And Martone isn’t the only captain among the Flyers prospects; Jack Berglund will wear the “C” for Sweden.

    How to watch the Flyers prospects at the World Junior Championship

    As tradition dictates, the 2026 edition begins on Dec. 26 and ends on Jan. 5. This year, the tournament will be held in Minnesota, with games split between Grand Casino Arena (formerly Xcel Energy Center) in Saint Paul and 3M Arena, the home of the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis.

    Broken up into two groups, teams will play four games in pool play before the playoffs start. Group A is the U.S., Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Germany. Group B has Canada, Finland, Czechia, Latvia, and Denmark.

    Fans can watch the Flyers prospects on NHL Network and stream the games on Fubo.

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr dishes on prospects Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and more

    When do Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and Canada play at World Juniors?

    Martone recently told The Inquirer he has “a bit of unfinished business” at this year’s World Junior Championship, and he has the opportunity for some revenge on Day 1. Canada opens its schedule against Czechia on Dec. 26 at 8:30 p.m.

    What time does Jack Berglund play for Sweden at the World Juniors?

    Berglund was supposed to play for Sweden at last year’s tournament, but the 2024 second-rounder had to miss it after he broke his left index finger and hand in Sweden’s final pre-tournament game. Sweden’s captain looked impressive in this year’s pre-tournament matchups, including while scoring a pair of goals against Canada.

    “I think he’s a very well-rounded player and has the ability to be a really good 3C, maybe more,” assistant general manager Brent Flahr told The Inquirer recently. “But he can play power play. He’s strong. He wins battles. He can make plays. He’s very sound defensively. Where he’s played, he’s had to earn everything he can, but he can shoot it.

    “I think people worried about his skating, but his skating is coming along as well, and he’s big and strong. You’ll see at the U20 level, he’s a big, strong horse out there, but he’s nowhere near where he’s going to be at 23 years old.”

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr talks Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Jack Berglund, and the 2026 NHL draft

    When do Heikki Ruohonen, Max Westergård, and Finland play at World Juniors?

    After notching four assists in seven games last year for the silver-medal-winning Finns, Ruohonen returns for a shot at gold. The Harvard freshman is joined this year by Westergård, a 2025 pick who has 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 12 games for Frölunda HC’s junior team in Sweden.

    How to watch Shane Vansaghi and USA Hockey at World Juniors?

    It’s a big moment for the Americans as they bid for history, and Vansaghi lives for the big moments.

    “You go to a game at Michigan State, you understand what he brings and how he impacts games. He’s a tank. He’s physically engaged. He wins every battle, but his details are really good,” said Flahr.

    “And more importantly, off the ice, the way he conducts his business is extremely mature for a young player. It’s contagious to the people around him with how hard he works and the intensity he works.”

    When do the Flyers’ prospects face each other?

    Fans will have to wait and see if Canada and the U.S. will square off in the playoffs, but until then, sets of prospects will meet up in round-robin action during a busy night of Flyers action.

    2026 World Juniors: Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna headline why Flyers fans should watch the tournament

    It is a triple header of Flyers action on New Year’s Eve, closing out with the Flyers taking on the Calgary Flames at 9:30 p.m. on NBCSP.

    What is the 2026 World Juniors full schedule?

    All games will be on NHL Network or can be streamed on Fubo.

    Fri., Dec. 26

    Sat., Dec. 27

    Sun., Dec. 28

    Mon., Dec. 29

    Tues., Dec. 30

    Wed., Dec. 31

    Fri., Jan. 2

    Sun., Jan. 4

    Mon., Jan. 5

  • Flyers winger Porter Martone named Canada’s captain for the upcoming World Juniors

    Flyers winger Porter Martone named Canada’s captain for the upcoming World Juniors

    Porter Martone said he has “a bit of unfinished business” at this year’s World Junior Championship.

    “We kind of want to come back and really show what we can do,” he told The Inquirer recently.

    Now, Martone, who was selected sixth overall by the Flyers in the 2025 NHL draft, will lead that charge. On Wednesday night, after some Christmas Eve dinner, the right winger found out he had been named captain for Canada’s squad. On Thursday, they made it official.

    “Just a huge honor,” Martone told TSN, adding he was at a loss for words initially. “When you’re a kid, you dream of playing in this tournament, and to wear the captaincy for this team is special. We’ve got a great group of leaders in that room and I think it’s going to be led by committee, but we’re all excited for tomorrow to start.”

    Last year at the World Juniors in Ottawa, the Canadians were ousted by Czechia in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive tournament. Martone played in three of the team’s five games — scoring one goal — and was one of three skaters from his draft class to play for Canada, which usually takes an older roster.

    “I said last night with the group, there’s going to be lots of adversity in this tournament,” Martone added in Minnesota. “It’s not going to be easy but it’s whether at those times we come closer together and we don’t fall apart. So, when the times get going tough it’s when teams bond and that’s when you win championships.”

    2026 World Juniors: Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna headline why Flyers fans should watch the tournament

    He was then invited to participate in pre-tournament games and practices for Canada at the 2025 IIHF senior World Championships in May. Unlike previous players in his role, he stuck around and was called into action when Bo Horvat was injured. He suited up in two games, alongside Flyers forwards Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster, and defensemen Travis Sanheim.

    “One day, Travis Konecny took me golfing in Sweden,” Martone told The Inquirer in June at the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo. “Foerster’s very great, kind of around my age, I sat beside him in the room. And then, Sanheim, too.

    “They’re all unbelievable people. And one thing I could tell is what it means to be a Flyer. And they really value that. They’re very tight, tight, tight people, and they really enjoy playing for the Flyers.”

    Porter Martone, right, is expected to be one of Canada’s biggest stars at the upcoming World Juniors.

    Martone has previously worn the “C” for his country. He captained the gold-medal winning Canadians at the 2024 U18 World Championship. Canada came back to beat USA Hockey, 6-4, with current Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, then 16 years old, chipping in with three goals and an assist in the finale.

    “I feel like anytime you get to put on the maple leaf, like, there’s really no words to describe it,” the 19-year-old told The Inquirer last week from Hockey Canada’s World Juniors camp in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    “It’s definitely a huge honor. And, you know, every time you put on that maple leaf, you want to represent Canada to the best of your ability. So it’s always special. I’m really looking forward to this tournament.”

    The captain for Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League in his draft year, Martone is now suiting up for Michigan State. As a freshman, the right winger leads the Spartans in goals (11), points (20), power-play goals (three), game-winning goals (three), and penalty minutes (58) across 16 games.

    Flyers center Jett Luchanko will also compete in the upcoming World Juniors alongside Martone.

    Martone is not the only Flyers prospect who will wear a letter in Minnesota when the tournament begins on Friday. Jack Berglund, who was drafted in the second round in 2024, will be the captain for Sweden. Heikki Ruohonen, a 2024 fourth-rounder, will be an alternate captain for Finland.

    Playing alongside Martone for Hockey Canada is fellow Flyers forward Jett Luchanko, who is typically a center but is playing on the wing for Dale Hunter. It will be the second time the duo will compete together for their country at World Juniors.

    Max Westergård, who was taken in the fifth round of the 2025 draft, will also play for Finland, and Shane Vansaghi, a 2025 second-rounder and teammate of Martone’s at Michigan State, will suit up for USA Hockey. The Americans are looking for their third straight gold medal.

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr dishes on prospects Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and more
  • There’s no denying the Flyers’ good vibes. What’s behind this season’s positive shift?

    There’s no denying the Flyers’ good vibes. What’s behind this season’s positive shift?

    CHICAGO — Travis Konecny walked into the visitors’ locker room long after the Flyers’ 3-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks.

    The alternate captain had just wrapped up doing TNT’s postgame show. He sat down at his stall, wearing everything but his helmet and gloves, ready to chat with the assembled reporters.

    Flyers hold off the Chicago Blackhawks for a 3-1 road win heading into NHL’s holiday break

    Konecny unwrapped the tape holding his shin guards in place and answered his last question. In a video recorded by the Flyers’ content staffers, you can see a big grin on his face as he paused while talking about notching his 300th NHL assist. Teammate Trevor Zegras is standing behind the media, peering in before saying, “Take your gear off,” with a chuckle.

    It was just one example of many seen around this team since the start of training camp — the Flyers are light and loose this season.

    “I think in here we know we can have as much fun as we want, but when we go on the ice, we have a job to do,” forward Owen Tippett recently told The Inquirer.

    “I think that’s what makes it more special, is that we know we can kind of joke around and mess around with each other off the ice, but as soon as the puck drops, we’re all ready to go to battle for each other.”

    There are several factors contributing to the Flyers’ good vibrations.

    One could be that they wrapped up a perfect back-to-back for the second time this season, after beating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 on Monday.

    Flyers Bobby Brink watches his goal on the replay as he celebrates with Trevor Zegras (right) and other teammates during a Dec. 3 game.

    The wins halted the Flyers’ fifth losing streak this season at two games. The longest? A measly three-game swing Dec. 11-14, with each loss coming after regulation. There’s still a lot of runway left in the season but the last time the Flyers didn’t have more than a three-game slide was 2011-12.

    That season, current general manager Danny Brière was pulling on a hockey sweater every night instead of a suit, and captain Sean Couturier was a rookie.

    “Enjoy the game. Enjoy everything that goes around you,” Couturier said before playing his 900th game on Dec. 7. “I feel when I was 18, I was just so serious, so focused, which is not a bad thing, but I think throughout the years, I figured to kind of balance it out and take the game on a little lighter side at times, and don’t want to be so serious and focused.

    “That’s probably the thing I’d recommend to myself [back then]. Just loosen up a little bit and enjoy it.”

    The Flyers are loose and enjoying it. And playing well. Yes, the 12 regulation wins — second fewest in the Eastern Conference — are an issue, given that regulation wins are the first tiebreaker for a playoff spot.

    But a team many outsiders expected to be at the bottom of the standings is not just in second place of the Metropolitan Division and two points back of the Carolina Hurricanes at the NHL’s holiday break, but has the sixth-best points percentage in the entire league.

    “I don’t think we care about what they think,” Dvorak said after Monday’s game when asked about the Flyers starting to make the rest of the division believers.

    “We just care about how we believe in ourselves and how we’re playing. And there’s a lot of belief in our room here, and we’re confident in ourselves, and that’s all that really matters.”

    Flyers (from left to right) right wing Owen Tippett, defenseman Travis Sanheim, center Trevor Zegras and center Christian Dvorak on the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 1.

    Some would point to the maturation of players who have bonded and built a strong culture over the past few seasons. Others would say it’s the injection of veterans and youngsters. Zegras, center Christian Dvorak, forward Carl Grundström, and goalie Dan Vladař (recently compared by coach Rick Tocchet to the vocal goalie in the movie Slap Shot, Denis Lemieux) specifically have injected balance to the lineup.

    “We’re a really, really tight group,” Konecny told The Inquirer in mid-December. “And that’s the thing. I’m sure every team says it, but for some of the guys who have been elsewhere that are here, the staff that’s here, we hear how tight this group is from those guys. … Like, for me, I don’t know any other team, but from what I hear, when guys come in here, this is a great group.

    There is one obvious answer that everyone would probably cite when it comes to the change: the new bench boss.

    There’s no denying the different coaching style Tocchet has when compared to predecessor John Tortorella. When things go bad, you look to the bench and, while he will have his moments, Tocchet often remains cool as a cucumber.

    During practices, he is constantly spotted feeding pucks to players as they work on a specific skill. Notably, Tocchet was seen sending passes recently to Zegras in Voorhees for one-timers like the one he scored on Monday night. Other times, he’s at the whiteboard drawing out a system or structure he wants, or, at 61 years young, the Flyers Hall of Famer is showing players how to shift or move on the ice when trying to evade defenders.

    Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.

    “Regardless of the winning and losing, I think that when players respect each other, and they have fun with each other, and they care about each other, it goes a long way. If somebody has a bad game or something bad happens, you have people to rally around,” said Tocchet, who played 621 of his 1,144 NHL games in orange and black.

    “Even as a coach, like, I might give a couple of guys [stuff], and you know when I leave, there’s three or four guys picking those guys up. And that’s so valuable for me as a coach. … It’s a huge thing to have that closeness.”

    That closeness can be felt in the room or on the ice. The players go to bat for each other during games and chirp and pick on each other in the room. But they also sit around and discuss what just happened in practice or during a game, and what they did well or need to work on.

    Maybe that’s why they are 19-10-7 through 36 games and playing not just well, but putting the NHL’s top teams on the ropes while beating bad teams.

    Last season, it took the Flyers 44 games to reach 19 wins. Two seasons ago, when they looked like a playoff team before a late-season collapse, it took them 34. (By the way, win No. 19 that season was against Tocchet and the Canucks).

    The Flyers rank 19th in goals per game (2.94) — roughly one-tenth better than last season — but have skyrocketed from the fifth-worst team in goals allowed (3.45) to the ninth-best (2.75). The penalty kill has stabilized lately after a drop and is the ninth-best in the NHL (82.5%), and the power play is not the worst in the league. It’s tied for 23rd with the Hurricanes (16.8%) and has connected three times in the last three games.

    Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim, right wing Travis Konecny, and center Sean Couturier on the ice against the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 13.

    Why are things working? There’s a buy-in.

    “I think you’ve got to be committed to getting to the right areas,” Konecny said Tuesday when asked about the Flyers scoring two more goals by getting to the net.

    “And I think, I forget, might have been Jay [Varady] our assistant coach, he said, ‘You do the right thing 20 times, and nothing happens. But that 21st time is when it goes in, and if you have that mentality of just like doing the right thing every shift, and your opportunities will come, then I think everyone’s going to be in a good spot.’”

    And right now, the Flyers are in a pretty darn good spot.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Flyers hockey right here!
  • Flyers hold off the Chicago Blackhawks for a 3-1 road win heading into NHL’s holiday break

    Flyers hold off the Chicago Blackhawks for a 3-1 road win heading into NHL’s holiday break

    CHICAGO ― It’s 760 miles to Chicago from Philly. Despite playing Monday night, the Flyers had a full tank. It was dark, and by the end, they were wearing sunglasses because things are looking bright.

    The Flyers defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1, giving them a two-game winning streak heading into the NHL’s holiday break. It is the Flyers’ third win in five games and fifth in December.

    And they now sit two points back of the Metropolitan Division’s top team, the Carolina Hurricanes. Add in that they have the sixth-best points percentage in the NHL (.625), and things are looking good 36 games in.

    But the win may have come with a cost. Forward Denver Barkey did not return for the third period. He was called for boarding and was hit hard in the ensuing scrum behind the Blackhawks’ net. According to coach Rick Tocchet, “He got hit from behind on that penalty. Just get reevaluated from the doctors.”

    Garnet Hathaway knows he has struggled this season. But he’s working to get back to his impactful self

    Defenseman Travis Sanheim, the Flyers’ top minute muncher, was clipped by Alex Vlasic in the third period. Per Tocchet, he did not play the final 12 minutes, 33 seconds, as he was pulled by the NHL’s concussion spotters. “I think he’s fine, though,” Tocchet said.

    Travis Konecny gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead with, fittingly, his 11th goal of the season 10:17 into the first period.

    After the Flyers killed off a tripping penalty on Trevor Zegras, he stayed on the ice, and Konency tried to find him as Zegras tried to get open near the right post. Zegras was covered by Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser so it didn’t connect, but he stayed with it and picked up the puck behind the net.

    Skating untouched, Zegras carried the puck around the net and curled before finding Konecny. The alternate captain evaded detection before cutting to the net to receive the pass.

    Zegras has 13 points in 12 games in December and 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 36 games this season. The New York native is riding a career-high nine-game point streak, with five goals and six assists.

    Konecny wasn’t done collecting points, and in the second period, he helped the Flyers double their total with a power-play goal off Noah Cates’ stick.

    Handed a gift when the Blackhawks got called for too many men in the second period, the Flyers’ five-man unit of Konecny, Zegras, Cates, Bobby Brink, and Jamie Drysdale hopped onto the ice after the other unit got a chance. Set up in the offensive zone, they worked it around the perimeter, going from Zegras on the right flank to Brink at the point to Drysdale on the left flank.

    Konecny, with Drysdale in his spot, glided down to the left post and received the puck from his defenseman. The forward turned his back net-front, drawing in Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy, giving him the ability to send a no-look pass under his lifted right leg to Cates in front.

    Despite having Vlasic all over him, Cates banged in the puck for his ninth of the year and second power-play goal of the season. His career high on the man advantage is three, set in 2022-23. Cates is riding a four-game point streak (two goals, two assists) while the assist was the 300th of Konency’s career in 682 games.

    Konecny now has 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 36 games this season. In December, he has six goals and 14 points — spearheaded by four multipoint games — across 12 games.

    Flyers left wing Noah Cates, shown on Dec. 11 against Las Vegas, scored his second power-play goal of the season against the Blackhawks.

    Through two periods, Sam Ersson allowed one goal on 14 shots, with Natural Stat Trick noting that he faced just one high-danger shot. For the most part, he saw the puck well — the goal by Chicago’s Ryan Donato from the high slot during four-on-four action looked like it was screened by up to three members of the Flyers — and played his angles.

    Ersson didn’t face his first shot of the night until 7:57 into the opening frame, making a glove save on Ilya Mikheyev. He later stopped a Murphy slap shot and robbed Donato on a two-on-one that also saw the Boston native try to bury the rebound.

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr talks Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Jack Berglund, and the 2026 NHL draft

    In the second period, the Swedish netminder moved well to make a save on a Matt Grzelcyk point shot with Oliver Moore standing in front. He stopped Donato from the right circle and then again when he went to the front of the net and tipped a shot.

    And in the third period, with the Flyers up by one, he made a nifty glove save on a wide-open shot by Louis Crevier. Ersson made 20 saves on 21 shots for his best save percentage (.952) of the season. He snapped a four-game losing streak — losing two in a shootout — to earn his sixth win of the season.

    Breakaways

    Carl Grundström scored an empty-netter to seal the win. … Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forwards Nic Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway were healthy scratches. … Drysdale has two points on the power play this season, coming in the past three games.

    Up next

    After the NHL’s three-day holiday break, the Flyers return to the ice on Saturday for a practice in Seattle before taking on the Kraken on Sunday (8 p.m., NBCSP, NHLN).

  • Garnet Hathaway knows he has struggled this season. But he’s working to get back to his impactful self

    Garnet Hathaway knows he has struggled this season. But he’s working to get back to his impactful self

    CHICAGO ― Garnet Hathaway’s path to the NHL wasn’t a typical one.

    He called it a “roundabout way” to The Inquirer two years ago, during his first season with the Flyers. The kid from Maine was signed as a free agent by the Calgary Flames organization in 2014 after playing four years at Brown University, and has agitated, banged, and fought his way to 639 NHL games.

    But now he’s facing a new battle: Hathaway has been a healthy scratch for the past two games and will sit out a third in a row on Tuesday.

    Before this spell, the last time Hathaway watched from the press box when healthy was Feb. 23, 2023, when the Washington Capitals held him out for trade-related reasons. He was traded that day to the Boston Bruins.

    ‘Enough is enough’: Rick Tocchet sounds off after latest questions about Matvei Michkov’s usage

    “It’s an opportunity to look at my own game. Find out what I can be doing better to help the team more,” he said while sitting in the Flyers’ locker room at Xfinity Mobile Arena after the team’s morning skate on Monday.

    “I don’t want to put a reset word on it. I think it’s an opportunity, and there’s two ways I can take it, and I want to use it positively. I want to use it to be more impactful and help us win more games.”

    To say it’s been a difficult season for Hathaway would be an understatement, as he has no points and is a minus-8 in 33 games. But Hathaway, 34, knows his game isn’t judged by how many goals or points he has. After all, he only has 75 goals and 160 points in his NHL career.

    What he brings is an unwavering commitment to the team — whether it’s throwing his body in front of high-velocity slap shots or being a leader in the room — and effectiveness on the penalty kill, which he prides himself on.

    “I know when I’m successful and how to be successful. So I think, rather than talking about the things that haven’t worked [this season], it’s talking about things that I need to do to be successful,” he said.

    “I play my best when we get the puck below the other hashmarks, when we hold possession, when we create chaos with the other defensemen, make them turn, create physicality, and really just have the puck in their end.”

    Chaos is a good way to put it. Hathaway is a grinder. He’s a throwback to guys like Dave Schultz, who may not have the flashy goals or the high point totals but play a critical role on and off the ice.

    After scoring 10 goals last season, Garnet Hathaway hasn’t found the net this season.

    Since his NHL debut on Feb. 29, 2016, for the Flames, he is third in NHL hits (2,046) behind former Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas (2,442) and current San Jose Sharks forward Ryan Reaves (2,131). For the record, Gudas has played 35 more games than Hathaway and averages almost seven more minutes a game.

    Hathaway ranks ninth in penalty minutes (705) in that time frame, but more importantly, he is also ninth in penalties drawn (275). The nine guys above him include some of the game’s top agitators — Nazem Kadri, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Tom Wilson, and Brady Tkachuk — and the best players who draw all the attention — Connor McDavid, David Pastrňák, and Nathan MacKinnon.

    “When he plays fast, he’s really good, and I think sometimes that line’s played a little bit slow, puck possession-wise, and I think that has affected him. … He knows he has to play better,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “But I also think we have to put him in a situation where he’s playing a faster game; I think that’s when he’s at his best.

    “… It’s tough for guys like that. He’s a predictable guy. He’s got to know where the puck’s going. That’s when he’s at an effectiveness, right? He’s a good F1, a good forechecker getting in there, and then obviously, a PK guy when he’s on. So I think, he’s frustrated in his game, but he knows what he’s got to do.”

    According to Natural Stat Trick, when Hathaway is on the ice at five-on-five this season, the Flyers have 43.24% of the shot attempts and have been outscored 10-2. It’s not the lowest Corsi For percentage of his career — that came in his 25 games with the Boston Bruins — but it is the second lowest. And it’s his second-lowest expected goal share at 41.87 and lowest scoring chances for percentage of his career (39.18%).

    The interesting thing is that Hathaway’s individual shot attempts have dropped considerably. He is at less than one per game (30 in 33 games), when he averaged 1.90 shot attempts per game across his first 606 career games.

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr talks Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Jack Berglund, and the 2026 NHL draft

    But he is right there with his hitting (tied for eighth in the NHL with 117) and drawing penalties (16th in the league with 2.31 penalties drawn/60).

    “A lot of what we talk [about] is predictability,” said Hathaway, speaking about himself and the coaching staff. “I strive on predictability. I think for me, I need to get below the hashmarks in the other zone, and the fastest way we can get there, the least time we can spend on our zone.

    “That’s what I look back in my career and highlight when — points or not — I’m being a contributor to a successful team. It’s moving fast through the zone and possession, but keeping the game in that end each and every shift, the majority of the time, rather than it flip-flopping or being a little too short for the time you need. “